To the mums out there - how do you manage

A one hour workout is only 4% of your day. You just have to find the time.. Move things around or save it for another day. Before I found a gym with a daycare, I was waking up at 4:30am to get to the gym at 5am.. On days when I can't make it during the day, I go at night. There's always time for a workout.. People that say there isn't are just making excuses, in my opinion.

Tell your PT that you are a mother, and he is an idiot lol j/p honestly, he doesnt know what it is like to be a mother, so he wont understand how much stress a mother has to put up with! I am not going to sit here and tell you what to do, but he needs to back off a little, there is only 24 hrs in a day, which isnt much when you are fitting sleep somewhere in there as well

I struggled to squeeze in exercise when I was working (started at 6am) & hadn't discovered Jillian Michaels Shred/Ripped DVD's either. 30 (ish) minutes of a decent work out start to end
Now, following redundancy, I am able to work out 5-6 times per week but I get up early to get it out of the way & not going to put it off. Plus I'm not taking time away from my other tasks (school run/homework/cleaning/looking after my toddler).

If I'm successful in finding a new job I shall continue to get up that little bit earlier to get it over with.

A one hour workout is only 4% of your day. You just have to find the time.. Move things around or save it for another day. Before I found a gym with a daycare, I was waking up at 4:30am to get to the gym at 5am.. On days when I can't make it during the day, I go at night. There's always time for a workout.. People that say there isn't are just making excuses, in my opinion.

Dont you ever feel guilty though? I guess i need to learn how to get over that part of it.

Why should I feel guilty? My husband and children are happy and I get plenty of time with them because I make the time.

I feel your pain. I work more hours than you and my hubby is on the road as a truck driver all week so it's just me and the two teenage boys most of the time. My house is NOT my priority, never has been, so I don't feel bad about messiness, but I love the kitchen to be cleaned up after every meal. I do laundry Sunday afternoon because I can relax a little and spend time as a family between loads.

Personally, it's all about planning. I started P90X at home seven weeks ago and that's been the best thing for me. I get up at 4:30 (yes, 4:30am) and work out, shower and then get the kids up while I have breakfast. After they get on the bus I finish getting ready and get to work at 8am. I work until either 5:30 or 7pm and then come home for dinner and pretty much just a little unwind time with the kids before bed, usually by 9:30-10pm. Tuesday evenings I run 2-4 miles after work while they do homework (they don't need as much help as yours might right now) or play with neighbor kids (they love to skateboard!). Since my kids are older they do fend for themselves a little, but I still try to have a healthy dinner for the three of us most nights. Snacks are up to them. I grocery shop on Thursday which is my day off from work or on Saturday if I have to after my long run (I'm always training for another race). Today will be an easy dinner of quick fixing turkey burgers (the patties are made and in the fridge) and salad. I buy packaged salad because it's quick and easy and I don't have to wash it. I buy frozen veggies and frozen chicken to have on hand every day. Somedays it's just chicken in the crockpot and come home to boil up some veggies and maybe some rice and dinner's ready. Somedays I have time to do more. My kids are simple eaters, they like meat and certain veggies. I'd love them to be more adventurous, but it's coming with time.

Good luck. I think you CAN work out 5 days a week, but for me, going to the gym was tough. I could do 3-4 days but not 5, but now I workout 6-7 days a week at home. It's not for everyone, but do what you can. Remember, nobody is judging your house or how you raise your kids but you. Seriously, the neighbors will not come over for a white glove test on your woodwork.... take care of you! Hard for a mom, I know, but you are important. If you're not healthy, how can you show your kids to be healthy? Just food for thought, no judgement here, I've been where you are. You're doing fine. Just try some new planning and scheduling. Find what works.

i am usually at the gym most days by 4:30 and workout until 5:45, because during school year my son struggles a lot with homework and with cooking supper and finding time to work with my daughter, I never can count on an evening workout. If get one in that is great then I doubled up for the day - this usually just an evening walk to include family time. I usually make extra meals on the weekend to cover some evenings during the week and I have to do is heat them up and they are ready. I spend most of time on weekends cleaning and not during the week, just pick up stuff during the week and I have the kids help out.

I do feel guilty for spending so much time at the gym but, I have to think of myself also...not just my children. What I do is go to the gym right after work. If I were to go home first, then all the stuff that has to be done there will keep me from the gym. One thing I did when my girls were younger was to take them along with me. They can use the exercise also and we got to spend time together.

I'm a teacher and a single working mom of two very busy kids. Translate: I am constantly on the go. For a long time I thought I didn't have time either, and I couldn't see where I was supposed to fit it into my day with homework, activities, house cleaning, etc.

But finally I made it work. I discovered if I got up early and worked out before anyone else was up that I did indeed have the time. And some afternoons I still squeeze in 30 minutes here and there. I work out at home though as I can't afford a gym and I don't have anyone to stay at home with the kids when if I were to go to the gym.

I don't think you are making excuses, I don't think you aren't determined enough, but I do think you need to make taking care of you your first priority. You'll be a better mom if you do. It will be hard at first but you must find time for you and your workouts!

Id work out at home if i was in your position, dvds, etc, you can buy small weight sets I got a cross trainer, in excellent condition off ebay for £10!

I'm hoping to be able to get to the gym again soon. Kind of hard to find time when you're working 2 jobs FROM home, so everyone assumes you're sitting there doing nothing. Literally up at 2 am every day for work, and after all the work/chores etc are done wasn't getting to bed til 10.

Not everyone can find a "hidden" hour somewhere, so I think folks (especially professional trainers) need to be careful not to judge. Especially in today's economy you don't know what that person has going on and they might feel guilty enough.

For me the best solution is to work-out at home. Only oyu know your prioroties and your schedule and only you can find a way to workout that works for YOU. And since you are doing htis for you and not for anybody else, jsut go with what you can do and fon't listen to people whose schedules and life situations are different from yours.

A one hour workout is only 4% of your day. You just have to find the time.. Move things around or save it for another day. Before I found a gym with a daycare, I was waking up at 4:30am to get to the gym at 5am.. On days when I can't make it during the day, I go at night. There's always time for a workout.. People that say there isn't are just making excuses, in my opinion.

Who was looking after your children at 4am? I know they were probably asleep but some one had to be with them. This lady may be a single parent

My husband. He's military and has PT early in the morning, so I would go and get back before he left.

Maybe you shouldn't go to the gym every time, and do at home workouts. There's plenty good workouts you can find online. Or maybe go to the gym over the weekends and then do at home workouts 3 days during the week, either bright and early in the morning or maybe after dinner? It's not going to be easy, but even if 5 is too much for you, try doing four or three times a week, that's still a decent amount

Feel your pain. Our gym doesn't open until 5:30 and my hubby is out the door by 4:30 leaving me home with 3 kids to get dressed and on the bus in the a.m. before I go to work from 8-5, then baseball games, practices, gymnastics, and ballet. My daughter's ballet is at the YMCA so I work out while she is in ballet and that helps. Otherwise, the kids and I take the dog for a mile long walk (sometimes longer if time allows) around 8:30 p.m. - right before bedtime- it gives us some time together to talk and still allows me some time for exercise. In the mornings, I am taking the dog for a 15 min. walk. It isn't much but it is all I can do. Going to the YMCA everyday just isn't an option with our busy schedule but I have to get the exercise in somehow. Doing it with the kids is the best option for me.